I love how Jesus interacted with women in the Bible. Although He was in a patriarchal society, he never once told a woman to be quiet, to stay at home, and to fulfill her ‘gender role’. He always showed them respect, listened to them, talked with them, loved them, and believed in them.
When Jesus was with the Samaritan woman (woman at the well), not only did He take time out to speak to her in public (not something that a man, especially a spiritual man would do at that time), but He also discussed theology with her. He taught her Theology 101 and did not stop her or discourage her from preaching what she had just heard and about whom she had seen (John 4:1-30).
When Jesus went to see Mary & Martha, He never once told Mary to stop listening to Him and go cook and help Martha in the kitchen, actually the reverse is true, He told Martha to be more like Mary. He enjoyed talking and spending time with Mary & Martha (Luke 10:38-42).
When a woman who was caught in adultery was brought before Jesus, and the Pharisees wanted to stone her, He never criticized her, rejected her, or mistreated her. He stood up for her and defended her. He saw value in her, and had compassion for her (John 8:1-11).
When a woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, he never scolded her, or looked at her with discontent. He never treated her like she was ‘unclean’. He stopped, acknowledged her, healed her, and looked at her with love (Luke 8:43-48).
When Jesus was having dinner at the home of Simon the Pharisee, a woman sneaks in to anoint His feet with perfume and tears in front of ‘religious men’, He never judges her, pushes her away, or tells her to stop what she is doing. He does not reject her offering, but uplifts her and uses her as an example of how we should act when we are forgiven. He does not define her by her sins but by her love towards Him (Luke 7:36-50).
I am so grateful for the examples Jesus gave of how to treat women.
- Jesus treated women with respect.
- Jesus treated women with dignity.
- Jesus accepted women.
- Jesus defended women.
- Jesus talked with women.
- Jesus listened to women.
- Jesus walked with women.
- Jesus healed women.
- Jesus inspired women to preach.
- Jesus encouraged women.
- Jesus uplifted women.
- Jesus treated women as equals.
- Jesus showed compassion to women.
- Jesus loved women.
Prayer: Thank You Jesus for showing us how important women are and how women should be treated. Women are special, important, and valuable. Never once did You make a woman feel like a lesser human being and never once did You mistreat a woman even though many around You did. May we learn from You how important, unique, and treasured each woman is. May we never forget that women are also created in Your image and they mean the world to You, and should mean the world to us as well.
God loves women. God wants women to fulfill a purpose in their life. He wants women to see the real value they have, and how important they are to society.
